The Following poem was written by a young teenager in my Parish. I published it in our parish newsletter and with his permission , (Please forgive any punctuation or spelling errors as my fault not Philip's) I am posting this poem on the net site for you to enjoy:

A Pascha Poem by Philip Peacock:A Ballad of Shaken Foundations

Somberly erect on Golgotha,In Israel, yea, JudaeaIn a far land past the Roman seasThere stood there tall, three mighty trees.

Three men were dying on those beamsTheir flesh was tearing at the seamsResting they were, on taut shanksCurled beneath their withered flanks.

Two Roman soldiers stood close byAnd a centurion cloaked with scarlet dyeHe raised his hand, and soldiers approached The three condemned, and with strokes

From three, menacing, iron-shod malletsThey broke the legs off their socketsOf the first and the third crucified.When the centurion quickly spied

That the second man was now deceasedHe checked his soldiers, “This man’s at leastBore his sentence with no complaintNow he’s dead. How? Can’t explain

But we’ve done as Governor Pilate spokenSo save his legs from being broken.” For a maniple of men had come in hasteTheir centurion had said, “No time to waste,

The Jewish elders of this cityFearing hell’s eternal pityWant the men taken down Before their Sabbath, out of town.”

A small group of women silently stood On an adjacent hill, wishing they couldSee the body of the LordNow descending from blood-stained board.

Yet while he lay on the stony floorIn bodily death he opened the doorAnd while the body lay in restJesus, fulfilling his Father’s behest

Began the conquest of HellAnd struck the first blow, to the fellThings that held men caughtWith righteous wrath these fiends he sought

He flew down from the rock-hewn tombIn the fiery brightness of whom The earth was fashioned and conceivedWho now in holiness was to redeem

The fallen race of mankind,restoring sight to the blind.As he descended, darkness did fleeAnd the foundations of hell were seen

The depths of darkness were made knownAnd God in his indescribable light shonegrabbed the terrified demons of hellflinging them down to the fells.

Like rats terrified of flame They scurried now in demonic shameIn glory Christ came unto the gravesAnd broke the dusty coffins to staves.

Out tumbled an old man The fallen father, Adam He stood there gazing up from his kneesWith his mind freed, his spirit at ease.

“The Lord is God,” he spake with husk“and hast revealed himself unto us.”Jesus gently grabbed his withered handAnd Adam in the withered span

Of his spiritual body felt lifeThen Jesus turned to his wifeAnd with a kick upon the coffinHe bade the moldy casket open

And gently raised Eve to her feet.She wept, relishing the sight sweet.Turning to cavern’s tombs spreadJesus, in a loud voice said,

“Come take light from the lightthat is never overtaken by night.”At once the coffins brake asunderOut of the cairns souls rolled in wonder.

Patriarchs, prophets, men of the LordThe Psalmist rose from his aged boardThe forerunner, who for two years had spokenTidings of Christ to those unwoken.

Now the congregation of these faithfulWho for ages of time had remained wakefulAwaiting the coming of salvation,The mighty slayer of their damnation,

Rejoiced in praises to the TrinityOut of chains, out of calamity.“Come take light!” they sang with delightand praised the Godhead’s boundless might.

For God never wished his creatures to languishIn separation from him, in anguish.And so came down at our behestOf Virgin Mary was clothed in flesh.

Born and raised under the lawThat by obedience he might save all.And through divine condescension He even endured crucifixion.

And resting his body behind the stoneSo he could make himself knownTo his beloved who had died,That with them, he would rise

Hell is fallen, Hades is razed.The heavenly powers are amazed.Freed, the blessed souls took flightAnd sing now in the heavenly heights.

Christ descended to ascendKeep watch, for he shall come again.And for all who wish to sit at his right,“Come ye, receive the light!”

Philip Peacock is a Teen member of St John the Forerunner Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cedar Park, Tx. He is a regular contributor to the Voice in the Wilderness and frequently serves at the Altar as an acolyte/altar boy.